With Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg, the Nationals have two of the most exciting young players in the sport. Which makes it all the more impressive that the sweet-swinging Anthony Rendon has drawn so much attention this spring. But we’re going to have to wait a little while for his major league debut.

Rendon, selected No. 6 overall by the Nationals in 2011, is hitting .385 (5-for-13) with a home run, two doubles and five RBI over six games during Grapefruit League play. The hot start led to Nationals manager Davey Johnson being asked yesterday whether there could be a scenario where he could make the team’s Opening Day roster. According to Dan Kolko of MASNSports.com, Johnson shot that question down as only he can.

“No. He needs the reps. He needs to go play,” Johnson responded, before cracking a smile. “We’ve only had five or six games, holy moly. You’re crowning him the next savior?

“Jeez. You’re awful.”

Johnson’s response is understandable, as Rendon was limited to just 43 games in the minors last season due to an ankle injury. The 22-year-old could really benefit by making it through an entire season healthy while getting regular at-bats. Besides, with Ryan Zimmerman at third base, Danny Espinosa at second base and Ian Desmond at shortstop, it’s not like there’s a place for him in the starting lineup with the big club.

Rendon’s time will come, either through injury or perhaps later this year as a September call-up. And when it happens, the Nationals have a chance to be even better. It’s a scary thought.

Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports Thursday that the Orioles “are said to have begun fielding calls of interest” on superstar Manny Machado and “are close to the point of seriously weighing whether to trade him.”

You’d think it would be a no-brainer for the last-place O’s to flip Machado — an impending free agent — for prospects, but Heyman notes there is “still a question whether or not longtime Orioles owner Peter Angelos” will give the go-ahead. One person familiar with the situation put it a “50-50” likelihood. Another suggested that it would take a massive return, which, sure.

Machado entered play Thursday with a sensational .328/.405/.635 batting line, 15 home runs, and an MLB-leading 43 RBI in 49 games. It’d be a real shock if he’s still wearing an O’s uniform by the end of July.

Heyman reported previously that at least nine teams made aggressive plays for Machado this winter, including the Cubs, Phillies, Dodgers, Indians, Diamondbacks, Yankees, Red Sox, White Sox, and Cardinals. A whole lot of those teams still make sense here in late May — maybe all of them except the White Sox.